On the way home from work the other night we popped into the Walker Art Gallery to catch the Art in Revolution: Liverpool 1911 exhibition, which ends it's run tomorrow.
It celebrates a pioneering exhibition of modern art including work by the Post-Impressionists, which ran at the Bluecoat, Liverpool, in 1911. The 2011 exhibition recreates the visual impact of the works from the original show. Highlights include works by Gaugin, Matisse and Signac ... and... new to me ... works by Albert Lipczinski ...
We weren't particularly taken with the art work, but were fascinated by the rest of the exhibition which showed what was going on in Liverpool at the time of the original show.
In the summer of 1911 Liverpool was gripped by mass social unrest and strike action. British troops were dispatched to deal with protesters on the streets and a warship was stationed in the Mersey. Some historians have said that events in Liverpool at that time were the nearest the UK has come to a revolution.
The exhibition sympathises with the down-trodden workers, who were trying to achieve better working conditions in the transport industry. Film footage from the time shows families dressed in their Sunday best enjoying a day out on a hot August afternoon, rather than hardened rioters.
They were ruthlessly attacked by the panic stricken police, and in the days that followed the situation escalated until two of the protesters were shot dead by the troops who were drafted in to deal with the 'revolution'.
While we had always known about this shameful episode from the city's past, it was fascinating to find out more about the actual event from archived sources.
As we left, we considered recent riots in the cities of the UK ..... exactly one hundred years later.
What will future generations make of it all, we wondered!
(All images are taken from Google as photography was not allowed in the gallery.)
I find the changing fortunes of places a fascinating subject and Liverpool is a great example of a city with changing fortunes. The workers must have been desperate in those times - I don't think you can compare those riots to the recent riots which were just lawless yobs thieving and destroying for the sake of it.xxxx
ReplyDeleteThat would have been a very interesting exhibit to see. As the family historian I have done a lot of research about Liverpool over the years:)
ReplyDeleteto think my ancestors might well of been in the crowds!
ReplyDeletefascinating stuff!
xxx
I quite agree with Diane. I think years ago the working classes put up with a lot, suffering under dreadful conditions whilst their bosses reaped the rewards and lived in luxary. We owe a lot to those brave men and women for the way we live now and it's about tme some people learned to appreciate it and do their bit to earn it. Sorry jumping off soap box now!
ReplyDeleteGreat post...gets you thinking!
I love these kinds of exhibits that give a deeper look into events that sometimes get only a paragraph in a history book. I would have enjoyed the art, too, I'm guessing!
ReplyDeleteAlways interesting to expand our knowledge about history ~ 'the good old days' were often anything but! The photos are very effective.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the children's 'cat' art on a previous post. What a great way for them to learn about expressing their creative side.
Looks like a fascinating exhibition. Sounds a bit like the Peterloo Masacre in Manchester 100 years earlier. Everyday must have been a struggle for all workers - some of my ancestors ended up in the workhouse or on parish poor relief. Those photos are a wonderful social record of turbulent times:)
ReplyDeleteGreat post, so informative! Great idea too, stopping off to do something nice after a day's work. Have a good week! Ros
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a very worthwhile exhibition to visit, one with so much to learn from, not only about the main subject but from the rest of the exhibition too.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy learning the history of towns and cities. There is always something so surprising and interesting that we didn't know. Sounds like a good time.
ReplyDeleteI worked in the city for a couple of years in the late 60s and often wandered round the Walker in my lunch breaks. Lovely to be reminded of it.
ReplyDeleteaahhh i'm home town :-) I walk past here every day to get to work!!
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